


truth is baby i've been surviving

by Fives (janfives90)



Category: The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: F/F, Treasure Hunters AU, rivals to lovers to rivals to lovers to-, warnings: violence; knives; guns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-29
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:35:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23913925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/janfives90/pseuds/Fives
Summary: “Why do you challenge me to these types of games, darling?” Alyssa Greene asks with a laugh as she hops over the last laser. “You know that I’m more flexible.”Emma Nolan snorts, wincing as she just barely avoids losing her balance before she lands next to her. “Flexibility won’t help you get past the heat sensors.”
Relationships: Alyssa Greene/Emma Nolan
Comments: 5
Kudos: 55





	1. Chapter 1

**_PARIS, 2020_ **

The gallery is quiet as the two hunters race each other through the laser security grid.

“Why do you challenge me to these types of games, darling?” Alyssa Greene asks with a laugh as she hops over the last laser. “You  _ know _ that I’m more flexible.”

Emma Nolan snorts, wincing as she just barely avoids losing her balance before she lands next to her. “Flexibility won’t help you get past the heat sensors.”

“What heat sensors? You disabled them earlier when you were staking out the gala.”

“Damn, I thought you’d miss that one. Just like you missed the security camera behind me.”

Alyssa looks up, confused, and Emma runs to the end of the room, hopping over the small rope blocking off access to the painting they’re both there for.

“No fair,” Alyssa hisses.

Emma cuts the alarm cables behind the painting before taking it down from the wall and opening the frame. “It’s all fair.” She carefully rolls up the canvas and slides it into a protective tube. “Just like the trap you set for me just outside my primary exit point.”

“One little poison dart wouldn’t kill you.”

“And the one you set outside my secondary exit point.”

“Who doesn’t love a good bear trap?”

“And the pitfall in my third exit point that goes into the lake and could destroy the painting?”

Alyssa shrugs. “If I can’t beat you, I might as well ruin what you came for.”

Emma scoffs. “You’re slacking. Are you feeling well?”

“It’s just…” Alyssa walks closer and brushes a finger along Emma’s jaw. “I wanted to steal something  _ special _ tonight, darling. It is our anniversary, after all.”

“Which anniversary is this again? When we first met, or when we became rivals? You know that I can never keep these things straight.”

“It’s the anniversary of… oh, fuck you.” Alyssa glares down at the handcuffs locking her to a nearby bench that’s bolted to the floor.

Emma giggles and takes a few steps away, slinging the tube over her shoulder. “Don’t worry,  _ darling, _ I’m a sentimental woman. I’m sure the passcode to those cuffs is a year that matters to us both. You know, for our anniversary!” She gives a mock salute. “Oh, and I’m taking  _ your _ exit point. I’ll make sure to leave your bear trap in it when I go.”

She ducks when Alyssa throws a shoe at her, then laughs as she flees the room.

* * *

Emma whistles cheerfully as she walks into the Nolan Industries headquarters, the painting tube resting on her shoulder. “Greg!” she greets as he heads towards her. “Excellent. Put this in the treasure bin, would you?”

She tosses it to him, and he catches it without looking up from his iPad. “I need you to sign this contract so we can start building the new school in town.” He hands the tablet to her, then unscrews the tube and peeks inside it. “Are you-” Greg Nolan sighs heavily and screws the lid back on.  _ “Again? _ What even is this?”

“My favorite painting.  _ Dog on Sunset Paws. _ That con artist was going to steal it, so I stole it first.”

“Con artist? Pot, kettle,” Greg mutters. He takes the iPad back from her and follows her to the elevator. “Look, Emma, do you think… I mean, maybe it would be best for the  _ company _ if you… didn’t? Go on dangerous criminal missions?”

“Greg, I know what I’m doing. If you’re going to learn anything-”

_ “I don’t want to learn this.” _

“-you have to accept that some missions are worth anything.” Emma brushes her hands on her jeans. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a heist to plan.”

Greg sighs and carries the painting to the safe.

* * *

Emma paces in her office, frowning, casting occasional glances at the huge map on the wall.

She stops suddenly, snapping her fingers as realization strikes her.  _ “KAYLEE!” _

The door to her office opens, and her assistant, Kaylee Klein, leans on the door. “Boss?”

“How quickly can I get a ticket to Hawaii? Wait, that’s stupid, I have a private plane. Do you like this shirt? I went for more of a lavender this time and I think it suits me. I think I need a haircut. But adventure. Can you have the hairdresser come up to my office? Do you think she could cut my hair while I plotted? Time is really of the essence, and I-  _ oh, _ hey, do you want your own private plane? It might make it easier for you to get to work if you- wait, no, a helicopter would be far more practical for that, I should-”

“Boss,” Kaylee interrupts, looking bored.

“Yeah?”

“You’re doing that thing again.”

“Oh, right, sorry.” Emma adjusts her glasses and frowns. “What day is it?”

“Tuesday.”

“Ah. I guess I should probably take a nap first, then.”

“That would probably be advisable, boss.”

* * *

Kaylee sits down at her desk and picks up the phone.

_ “Greene Enterprises, this is Shelby.” _

“Hey. The idiots are at it again.”

_ “Oh, come on, they just got back.” _ Shelby Gonzales sighs heavily.  _ “I’ll clear Miss Greene’s schedule. Where are we going this time?” _

Kaylee smiles. “You know I can’t tell you, Gonzales.”

_ “Just a hint? I warned you about the sunscreen you’d need before they went on that job in the Outback.” _

“Think volcano.”

Shelby groans.  _ “My hair hates volcanic heat.” _

“Don’t say I never did anything for you.”

_ “Yeah, yeah. Same time next week?” _

“Probably.”

* * *

In a hidden room behind Alyssa’s office at Greene Enterprises, Veronica Greene reads from a planning report. “Let me see if I understand this correctly. You’re looking for a statue.”

Alyssa, collecting various weapons and supplies, nods. “The Totem of Villalobos, a lost statue supposed to confirm that Spain found Hawaii before Britain.”

“And it’s… in a volcano.”

“Naturally.”

Mrs. Greene pinches the bridge of her nose. “Naturally.” She closes the report. “Alyssa, do you think perhaps you could just… let Nolan take this one?”

Alyssa frowns as she puts a knife in her bag. “Don’t be ridiculous. I can’t let her get one up on me. She just stole a painting out from under me.”

“Well, yes, but couldn’t you go steal something else while she is… in a volcano?”

“That’s hardly as much fun.”

Mrs. Greene just sighs.

* * *

_ “HA!” _ Alyssa punches the air in triumph as she lands on the final stone of the puzzle. “Sorry, darling, looks like you got burned by lava for nothing.”

Emma grits her teeth as she climbs up onto the platform. “The lava you pushed me into?”

“That’s insulting. I dropped something so you’d trip.”

“This was a brand new shirt,” Emma mutters as she blows out a small fire on her shoulder.

“I’m sorry, darling, you know how much I hate losing,” Alyssa coos as she brushes soot out of Emma’s hair.

“You haven’t gotten the statue  _ yet, _ sweetheart,” Emma growls.

“Oh, I know, but I will.” Alyssa pulls the knife off of her belt and stabs it into Emma’s chest.

Emma staggers backwards, looking shocked as Alyssa calmly walks over and picks up the statue. When she turns back around, she rolls her eyes.

“Don’t be so dramatic, darling, you’ve survived worse.” Alyssa pauses as Emma falls to her knees. “...Em?”

“Don’t you know what this is?” Emma asks in a choked voice. “The Whitechapel Dagger.”

“I… No, no it’s not, it’s a fun knife, you know, for some playful lighthearted stabbing.”

“This dagger can kill  _ anything, _ Lys,” Emma whispers.

She collapses onto her back, and Alyssa runs over to her, dropping to her knees, setting the statue on the ground next to her, and taking Emma’s face in her hands. “No. No no no. Get up you asshole.”

“I-I… I-I can’t…”

Alyssa rests her forehead against Emma’s, fear in her touch. “Em, I…”

Before she can finish, Emma says against her lips, “Come on, darling, we both know Jack the Ripper wasn’t even real.”

“...What?”

Emma grabs the statue from its spot next to Alyssa and jumps to her feet, laughing as she pulls the dagger out of her chest.

“Oh, no fair, you  _ bastard!” _ Alyssa grumpily wipes at her eyes as she stands. “Everest, 1972! No faking real death to get the upper hand!”

“Come on, I deserve the chance to get you back for that  _ once!” _

“Rules are rules, baby.”

Emma rolls her eyes and tosses the statue back at her. “You and your knife aren’t any fun.”

Alyssa prods her right in the still-healing wound. “I’ll take the knife back, too.”

“I thought it was a gift.”

“No.”

“But you gave it to me.”

“I  _ stabbed you with it.” _

“Yeah, so you gave it to me.”

“That’s not a  _ gift!” _

“Sure sounds like one.”

* * *

At the top of the volcano, Shelby and Kaylee sit next to each other, eating snacks and watching their employers bicker below them.

“I need a vacation,” Shelby sighs.

“We could just go to the beach and wait for them to get this out of their system.”

Shelby glances at her watch. “Sure. This could take a few hours anyway.”

* * *

**_INDIAN OCEAN, 1720_ **

“I have to thank you,” Emma says as she walks across the deck of the merchant vessel. “I don’t think I ever would’ve found the Golden Crown of Chroi if you fools hadn’t pulled it out of the depths of the ocean by accident for me. You should-”

“Just kill us and be done with it, pirate,” the ship’s captain snarls, tied to the mast.

“Sir, I’m insulted. I am not a common pirate. I’m a treasure hunter.”

“Well, what a coincidence, darling, so am I.”

Emma grits her teeth and looks up at the crow’s nest. “Greene,” she mutters.

Alyssa grins down at her before taking out a knife and jumping to the sail, using the knife to slide down it. As she lands on the deck, she brushes a finger along Emma’s jaw. “I decided to rob this ship first.”

“You did not. Go jump in the ocean.”

“Rude.” She saunters over to the treasure chest and starts working on the lock. “Do you even know the legends of the Golden Crown of Chroi?”

Emma scoffs. “What, that the first person who touches it will be cursed with immortality? Have you ever seen a cursed treasure story that was real, Greene?”

“How about that gemstone in Atlantis that caused a tidal wave and sank the city?”

“That was a natural disaster and it was not our fault.”

“If you want to believe that, sure.” Alyssa opens the chest and lets out a soft whistle. “Whoa.”

Emma joins her and looks down at the pile of gold, and shimmering golden crown sitting on top. “That’s quite the treasure.”

“Well, I opened the box, so I guess I get it,” Alyssa says, reaching into the chest.

“Hey! Only because you got in my way!”

Emma reaches as well, and their hands land on the golden crown at the exact same moment.

A strange pressure builds in Emma’s body, right above her heart, and when she tries to let go of the crown she realizes that she can’t. She turns to Alyssa, who looks scared, and gets out “Wha-” before a force throws them both back from the treasure chest.

Emma groans and looks down at the half piece of crown in her hand, then looks across the deck to where Alyssa is slowly getting up.

Then at the captain, loose from her bonds, laughing as she walks across the deck towards them.

“Word of advice?” the captain says. “Double-check your captives for weapons before you tie them up.” She picks up a pistol abandoned during the fight to keep Emma from taking over the ship, and she aims it at Alyssa. “And I  _ hate _ pirates.”

The gunshot feels louder than normal, and Emma isn’t sure whether it’s from hitting her head against the wood or from who the gun is aimed at.

_ “NO!” _ She scrambles across the deck, ignoring her pain, focusing on nothing but getting to Alyssa. She slides as a wave crashes over the deck, slamming hard against the side, feeling even more disoriented as she places one hand uselessly over the wound in Alyssa’s chest and the other against her cheek. “Alyssa. Alyssa, please. Please don’t leave me.”

“Oh, you really care for her, don’t you?” The captain aims her gun at Emma. “You can be together in hell.”

Emma feels the shot, feels the blood, but she never feels more pain from that particular injury than a mild discomfort. Her head is still pounding from whatever happened when she touched the crown, and she’s terrified out of her mind, and none of this makes any sense.

She only comes back to herself when she feels her body hit the cold, stormy water.

_ “Alyssa!” _ she yells when she surfaces, choking on salt.

“Emma!”

She turns and sees Alyssa a few feet away, also struggling in the waves, and she swims over to her.

“You’re alive,” Emma breathes. She blinks and pats at her own chest.  _ “I’m _ alive.”

Silently, Alyssa, holds up her half of the crown, still clenched in her hand.

Emma stares at it, reality sinking in. “What did we do?” she whispers.

* * *

**_NEW YORK CITY, 2020_ **

“Why do you even keep doing this?” Greg groans as he follows Emma through her closet while she searches for one to replace to burned and holey one she’s wearing. “You must know that Greene will be at these locations, but you go anyway. It’s almost like you…” He trails off. “Almost like you do it on purpose. Because you  _ do _ do it on purpose. Oh my  _ God, _ you  _ like _ her.”

“I do  _ not _ like that  _ con artist!” _ Emma snaps.

“Pot, kettle! You’re the same person! You probably get off on stealing from each other!”

“That has only happened… seven or eight…” She pauses, muttering numbers under her breath. “A  _ few _ times!” Emma finds the shirt she was looking for and starts unbuttoning the one she’s wearing.

Greg sighs and turns around. “I don’t know how you’ve made a successful company like this.”

“I mean, I’ve had about three-hundred years to figure it out, kid, it’s really not hard to do when you have an advantage.” Emma buttons up her dark green shirt and picks out a new tie. “You know, of all the distant relatives I’ve recruited over the centuries, you’re the least fun.”

“I’m so sorry that I think your endless foreplay is annoyingly disruptive.”

“Apology accepted,” Emma says cheerfully.

_ “No, _ that’s not what…” Greg shakes his head. “You know what, whatever. Have your fun.”

“Hey.”

He pauses and looks over his shoulder.

“You do a good job, Greg,” Emma says, her voice calm and sincere. “I think I pay you well for it, but if I don’t, let me know. I know that I can be frustrating, but that’s why I hired you. It’s not just because you’re family. It’s because I know that I can trust you to keep things running no matter what.”

Greg pauses for a moment, then nods. “Thank you, Emma. And… you pay me perfectly fine.”

“Good.” Emma ties her tie in the mirror, then gives a satisfied nod.

* * *

When she walks into her office, she stops dead in her tracks. “How the  _ fuck _ did you get past the moat full of sharks?”

Alyssa, lounging on top of Emma’s desk, shrugs. “I know you. You’d never mistreat an animal. There’s no way you’d actually leave them to go hungry, so I just swam through it.”

“...The wall of fire?”

“We’re immortal, idiot, I just walked through that.”

“The bear trap?”

“Okay, that one got me and took a minute or so, but we really need to discuss why we’re both obsessed with bear traps.”

Emma raises an eyebrow. “Is that why you broke into my building?”

“No.” Alyssa swings her legs around to sit on the desk more properly, and Emma’s gaze betrays her by following the movement. “I’m bored.”

“We just went on a treasure hunt to a  _ volcano, _ sweetheart.”

“I know, but it was so easy. No fear, no challenge, no zazz.”

“...Zazz?”

“My head of marketing told me to try it out.”

Emma rolls her eyes and sits down in the chair across from the desk. “Okay.”

“My point is, we’ve done volcanos. We’ve done  _ everything.” _ Alyssa smirks. “Both in the field and in-”

“What do you want to steal, Alyssa?” Emma interrupts irritably.

Alyssa gets off the desk and walks over, sliding onto Emma’s lap and cupping Emma’s face in her hands. “Darling, do you know the Edgewater Casino?”

“Yeah. They’re supposed to have the toughest security of any casino around. Why?”

“I want to scam them blind.”

Emma frowns. “You think that will get us out of our boredom rut?”

“At the very least it’s something different to do. We haven’t done a good con together since Greece 1994.” Alyssa tilts Emma’s head to one side and leans forward, trailing kisses down the side of Emma’s neck. “Come on, darling, don’t you want some new adventure?”

“You’re going to get me stuck inside a slot machine again; I just know it.”

“That was only one time.”

“Once was enough.” Emma’s breath hitches as Alyssa undoes her tie and the first few buttons of her shirt and skims her kisses lower. “Alright, alright, you win.”

She feels Alyssa’s smile against her skin. “I love winning.”

Emma’s hands go to Alyssa’s thighs and pull her in close. “I love winning, too.”


	2. Chapter 2

Alyssa falls back on Emma’s desk, gasping for breath as she tries to smooth her dress out. “So,” she pants. “Does that sound like a good plan to you?”

Emma collapses into her chair, breathing equally heavy as she buttons her shirt. “Yeah. When do you want to leave?”

“Tomorrow?”

“Great.”

Alyssa nods, closing her eyes, still out of breath. “Just gimme a minute.”

Emma sets her head back against her chair, groaning quietly. “Fine by me.”

* * *

**_LONDON, 1708_ **

Emma slips through the streets, picking pockets as she goes, her face hidden by the hat pulled low on her head.

She glances behind her to check her surroundings, and, in that moment, she bumps into someone walking the opposite direction.

“I’m so sorry,” the girl in front of her says quickly, her head bowed. “I-I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

“S’alright. Just pay attention, would you?”

The girl nods and walks past her, and Emma instinctively picks her pocket.

Then pats at her own pockets, and realizes that the money she’s stolen is gone.

“Damn…” Emma shoves the money she grabbed into her pocket and sprints after the girl, who’s taken off at a run through the crowd.

Emma chases her through the streets and down to the docks, catching up and tackling her in a small alley. They wrestle with each other for a bit before Emma manages to pin her down.

The girl is about her age, dark hair, dark eyes, and gorgeous. It almost throws her off, but Emma manages to say, “Give me back what you stole, thief.”

The girl laughs. “I will if you give back what you stole from me.”

Emma squints at her. “We can’t both work the same street, idiot; we’ll end up hanged.”

“Only if we get caught.” The girl smiles. “What’s your name? I’m Alyssa.”

“I… What? I’m Emma; what does that have to do with anything?”

“You’re interesting.” Alyssa leans up and kisses her.

Emma gives a small squeak of surprise, then a louder one when Alyssa uses her shock to get leverage to flip her onto her back.

Alyssa pulls her belongings out of Emma’s pocket, then sets one wallet on Emma’s chest. “Thanks for the haul, darling.” She kisses Emma again, quickly, then runs.

Emma lays on the ground for a moment, baffled, then shakes her head to clear it as she scrambles to her feet.  _ “Hey!” _

But the other thief is already gone.

* * *

**_NEW YORK CITY, 2020_ **

“Hold on,” Greg says, pacing. “You  _ work _ with Greene sometimes? Are you serious?” He turns to Kaylee. “Is she serious?”

Kaylee shrugs. “Nothing surprises me anymore.”

Emma studies the casino blueprint on the screen in front of her. “A little friendly con can be good for the soul, Gregory. Refuels the rivalry a bit.”

“How are you going to blend in?”

“We’ll go in as a married couple on vacation. The couple suite is the best one in this hotel anyway.”

“I’m sorry,” Greg says. “Are you going to forge a marriage certificate for this con? Because these people are so particular and snobby that you can’t even rent the couple suite if you don’t show them a marriage license that proves you’re married.”

Emma frowns up at him. “Forge one? No, sometimes the best way to do a con is to start by being  _ honest. _ People never expect it. That’s why Alyssa and I have been legally married under our real names in four countries. Five if that ceremony in Barbados actually counted. I don’t remember; we were very drunk.” Emma pauses, frowning. “Wait, was that even for a con? Why did we do that?”

Greg and Kaylee exchange a tired look.

* * *

“Is it wise to do this con under your real names?” Mrs. Greene asks as Alyssa picks out clothing to take with her.

“We do everything under our real names.”

“Well, yes, but if the owners of this casino realize you’re stealing from them, they could come after your company. You’re paying me to look out for the company, Alyssa.”

“I know that, Veronica, and I really do appreciate it. But I’m not just going to change tactics that have worked.” Alyssa gives her a confident smile. “We know what we’re doing. You can trust us.”

“I  _ do _ trust you. I just don’t necessarily trust your judgment when it comes to Emma Nolan.”

“What does  _ that _ mean?”

Mrs. Greene sighs. “You know you’re in love with her, don’t you?”

Alyssa laughs. “Don’t be ridiculous. We’re rivals. Maybe we have sex on occasion and got married a few times for cons, but  _ feelings? _ That would be absurd.”

“Alyssa, I know that you’re far older than I am, but I care about you as if I were your mother. Believe me. You love that woman.”

As she fixes her hair in a mirror, Alyssa mutters, “I can’t.”

* * *

Emma whistles softly as she and Alyssa walk arm-in-arm into the Edgewater Casino. “This is much nicer than a volcano, darling.”

“I thought that a good con would be an excellent use of our anniversary year. After all, your choice of heists was so…  _ lacking.” _

“Excuse me? Did you pay any attention to what painting I stole?”

“I was preoccupied, honestly.”

Emma scoffs and picks up a brochure from a stack beside the check-in desk. “It was  _ Dog on Sunset Paws, _ sweetheart.”

Alyssa pauses, giving her a soft look. “The painting we were fighting over in Paris 1713.”

“When we spent our first night together, yes. That was a good twentieth birthday.” Emma frowns at her, offended. “And you thought I  _ forgot _ the occasion.”

“I’m so sorry, darling, I wasn’t paying attention.” Alyssa kisses her on the cheek. “I’ll make it up to you later.”

“Yeah? How?”

Alyssa leans over and nips at Emma’s ear. “You’ll find out,” she whispers.

Emma shudders. “Okay.” She glances up at the security camera above them. “CN-720 cameras. Hard to crack. We’ll have to be smooth if we end up having to pick anything.”

“I’m a better pickpocket than you, darling, so I’ll keep that in mind.”

“That’s insulting.”

“You’re a better hacker.”

“Hm. I guess that’s fair.” Emma turns Alyssa to face her and kisses her, pulling her in until their hips are flush.

Alyssa whimpers softly, a helpless sound, and she lets out a ragged breath when Emma stops. “What was that about?”

“I was watching the security guards to see how their shift change works.” Emma smirks at her. “Plus, it was fun.”

“We’re not  _ robbing _ them. We shouldn’t have to deal with the security guards.”

“It’s always a good thing to know.” Emma smirks at her. “You’d do the same.”

“Yeah, but I hate when you do things first.”

Emma laughs and pats Alyssa lightly on the ass before letting her go. “I know, darling.”

Alyssa takes an annoyed swipe at her arm. “Do you know what the plan is?”

“The two of us spend the day demolishing the blackjack tables?”

“Well, yes, but…” Alyssa walks her fingers up Emma’s tie. “We’re  _ married, _ darling. You need to treat me as such.”

Emma sighs and rolls her eyes. “Yes, dear.”

* * *

Alyssa tries not to smile as Emma gives a confident grin and collects her winnings from the center of the card table. “Darling,” she coos, wrapping herself around Emma’s arm. “Can’t we go get a drink? This game is boring me.”

Emma sighs and gives the dealer a casual shrug. “What the lady wants, right?” She presses a soft kiss to Alyssa’s lips. “Of course, dear.”

Alyssa leads her off of the gambling floor, Emma putting chips in her pockets. “We were getting a few too many glances. You’re too good at cards.”

“That’s why you brought me.”

“Mm.” Alyssa kisses her on the cheek. “Could you get us a table while I get us drinks?”

“Are you going to put antifreeze in mine?” Emma asks, nudging Alyssa playfully.

“Don’t be ridiculous. We aren’t done the con yet.”

Emma laughs sharply and goes to sit down.

* * *

When Alyssa returns to the table, Emma has a scowl on her face.

“What are you so miserable about? I brought you whiskey.”

The scowl fades slightly as Emma accepts the glass, but it comes back in full force when Alyssa gives the bartender a smile that makes the young woman blush.

“If you’d rather spend your night fucking the bartender I can collect money myself,” Emma mutters.

Alyssa sits down and takes a sip of her tequila. “Is that what this is about? Darling, you know you’re the only person I’ve ever slept with.”

“Yeah, well, that doesn’t mean I have to like watching you flirt.” Emma glares towards the bar as she drinks.

“Jealousy doesn’t suit you.”

“The last time I had to flirt with someone for a con, you poured a drink over my head.”

“I never said jealousy didn’t suit  _ me.” _

“Mhm.”

Alyssa strokes a finger along the back of Emma’s hand. “You seem upset today, honey. What’s wrong? Is something about this bothering you?”

“I don’t know, something’s just… I have a bad feeling. Like I’m missing something.”

“I’m sure it’s nothing. You’re probably just overly sensitive since you’re used to looking out for traps I’ve laid out for you.”

Emma snorts. “That’s true.”

Under the table, Alyssa brushes her foot against Emma’s leg. “Why don’t we break another table, have some dinner, then head up to our room?”

“Well, I certainly wouldn’t be opposed to that.”

* * *

Emma grumbles under her breath as a light flickers on in their room. “Lys?”

“Hush, darling. I’m just going downstairs to get coffee.”

“Ugh. What time is it?”

“Five.”

Emma groans and grabs for Alyssa’s hip. “Are you insane? Get back in bed.”

“No,” Alyssa laughs, catching her hand. “I want to do some surveillance while I’m down there.”

“If you want to be an overachiever, fine.” Emma closes her eyes, sprawled on her back.

Alyssa lifts up their bedsheets. “If it’s any consolation, what you look like naked definitely made me rethink leaving so early this morning.”

Emma grumpily snatches the sheets back from her. “You don’t get to look if you’re going to wake me up at five.”

“Fine, be that way.”

As she heads for the door, Emma says, “Put my wallet back on the nightstand, Alyssa.”

Alyssa pauses, then turns back and straddles Emma on top of the sheets as she sets the wallet back on Emma’s nightstand. “You can’t even buy me a coffee.”

“I might’ve, but first it’s a coffee, then it’s a new car.”

“You have the money for it,” Alyssa teases as she leans down and kisses her sharply.

“Mm. Give me back my half of our winnings from last night, too.”

With a frown, Alyssa drops the bag next to Emma’s wallet.

_ “All of it, _ darling.”

Alyssa bites Emma’s lower lip as she digs a few chips out of her pocket and adds them to the pile. “You’re no fun.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Alyssa goes to the door and turns the handle, but it doesn’t open. “What-” She turns back to the bed, confused.

Without opening her eyes, Emma holds up her phone and waves it. “Like you said, I’m the better hacker. And the electronic locks in this hotel have remarkably bad security.”

“Em, I don’t have anything else that’s yours.”

“Oh, I know.” Emma sits up, picking her glasses up and putting them on. “But I want to know what you’re  _ really _ up to.”

Alyssa’s brow furrows. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“This con? Not your standards.” Emma reaches into the drawer of her nightstand and pulls out the brochure she took from the check-in desk.  _ “But _ there  _ is _ an art auction taking place on the gala level tonight. What are you really here to steal?”

“Damn.” Alyssa leans against the door. “You know me too well, huh?”

“We know each other too well, sweetheart, you should’ve known I’d figure it out.”

Alyssa sighs and walks over to sit down on the foot of the bed.  _ “Dancers in Starlight.” _

Emma pales. “Ottoman Empire 1720. The first painting we competed for after we became immortal.”

“It’s here, darling. It’s going to be auctioned tonight.”

“But you’re going to steal it first.”

“Actually, I thought I’d buy it with our winnings.”

Emma gives her a look. “No, you’re not.”

Alyssa snickers. “Absolutely not. They store anything valuable right below the couple suite level.”

“Ah. So you brought me along for access and some quick fun.” Emma shrugs. “Did you think I’d take it from you? Alyssa, you know how it goes. Whoever comes up with the plan has first dibs on the main item the heist was intended to steal. Why wouldn’t you tell me?”

“I just… I knew damn well what that painting was in Paris, okay? You have a painting that means so much to us now, and I… I wanted one too, but I couldn’t get it without your help to get in.” Alyssa bites her lip and looks down. “And I guess that’s a little embarrassing to admit.”

“Lys. We’re rivals, and we’re a pair of competitive idiots, but we’re partners, too. You don’t need to be embarrassed to ask for some help on a job.” Emma gives her a soft, playful nudge with her foot. “I’ll only tease you a little bit.”

Alyssa laughs. “Thank you.”

“No problem,” Emma says with a grin. “So… what’s the  _ real _ plan?”


	3. Chapter 3

“You know what you have to do?”

“Yes, darling, I know what I have to do.” Emma pulls Alyssa in close to her as they linger in the doorway of their room. “I have to be  _ distracting.” _

“Mm.” Alyssa plays with the collar of Emma’s lavender shirt, looking down at her black waistcoat, black dress pants, and black wingtips. “You’re definitely a distraction.”

“Is that so?” Emma nips Alyssa’s lower lip.

Alyssa groans softly. “Go away, Nolan. I have things to steal.”

Emma chuckles and lets Alyssa go. “Have fun, darling.”

“You too.”

“And just… be careful?”

Alyssa reaches up, resting her palm against Emma’s cheek. “Hey,” she says softly. “The only one allowed to kill me is you.”

Emma gives a strained laugh. “Dammit, Greene, that’s not what I mean.”

“I know.” Alyssa grins. “But you relaxed, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, in a weird way I did.” Emma leans in and kisses her. “I’ll see you later.”

“See you later.”

* * *

Alyssa slips into the stairwell, changing into the hotel security outfit that she stole while Emma was being far too noticeable at the gaming tables the day before.

She glances up at the cameras, stuck on a loop for the next hour until security will make their walkthrough of this particular stairwell.

She’s good with cameras and tech, but Emma has always been better, faster, and she’s glad that she looped Emma in on the plan soon enough to have her do that part. She knows it’s safer this way.

Alyssa stashes her own clothes behind the emergency fire hose for her to change into on her way back, then makes her way down to the floor right below hers, walking on to the floor where the painting is being stored.

The young guard standing near the safe where this casino stores some of its cash doesn’t even glance at her as she walks past him.

“If I was a painting from the 1700s, where would I be?” she mutters to herself.

She walks further down the hallway, then pauses near an open storage space.

Cautiously, Alyssa steps inside, and she sees the painting she’s looking for right towards the front, sitting out ready for auction, no security around it.

It’s easy.

It’s  _ too _ easy.

* * *

Emma gives a calm grin to the dealer as she collects the pot, stacking her chips in front of her and ignoring the glares from the other players. “I must say, boys, I don’t play this game often, but it’s quite fun to-”

“Honey.”

She turns her head as Alyssa joins her, in jeans and one of Emma’s purple flannels. “Hey,” Emma says, confused. “Are you done shopping already?”

“Baby, I’m not feeling well, I think I’m going to head up to the room.”

Emma swallows at the uneasy look on Alyssa’s face. “I’ll come with you.” She turns back to the table and sets her cards down before collecting her chips. “Thanks for your time, but it’s time I clock out. Have a nice day.” She gets up from the table and has Alyssa take her arm before leading her away from the table. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know,” Alyssa mutters.

“Was the painting not there?”

“No, it was, it’s just… I don’t know, Em, it was too easy.”

Emma raises an eyebrow. “Too easy?”

_ “Yes. _ The whole thing felt wrong, I can’t explain it, it’s like-”

“Hey, hey, it’s okay.” Emma sets her hands on Alyssa’s arms. “Lys, if it didn’t feel right, it didn’t feel right. I get it. Why don’t we-” She cuts off when her phone starts ringing in her pocket, and she digs it out to see that Kaylee is calling her. “Shit. Sorry. Just give me one second.”

“Yeah, of course.”

Emma holds the phone up to her ear. “This isn’t a great time, Klein.”

_ “I think it’s the exact right time, Miss Nolan,” _ the smug voice on the other end of the line says.

Emma pales. “Who is this?”

Alyssa looks up sharply, eyes wide.

Emma grabs Alyssa’s arm and tugs her down a small hallway that leads to an employee-only area, lowering her phone and putting it on speaker so Alyssa can hear. “Seriously, who the fuck is this?”

_ “You should know, Miss Nolan. You and Miss Greene are the reason we’re all in this mess.” _

“Whatever game you want to play with us, Kaylee’s not involved in it.”

_ “Of course she is. She’s like your minder, isn’t she? Keeps you from forgetting your task while you and Miss Greene distract each other. It’s kind of like the role Miss Gonzales holds for Miss Greene. I would know; I’ve been watching all of you for a while.” _

“To what end?” Alyssa demands. “What do you want?”

_ “I know better than to just demand something of the two of you. You’re reckless immortals more concerned with heist and treasure games with each other than you are with threats. So I stacked the cards against you. There’s a room behind the waterfall on the third floor. If you want Miss Gonzales and Miss Klein to make it out of here in one piece, I suggest you come here peacefully. Oh, and for added insurance, I’d also come if you want your companies to survive, because I also have Gregory Nolan and Veronica Greene.” _

“If any harm comes to them, I’ll kill you,” Emma says, her voice ice cold.

The woman on the other end of the line laughs.  _ “No. You won’t.” _

As the call ends, Alyssa turns away and covers her mouth with her hand. “Emma,” she chokes out.

“It’s going to be okay,” Emma says softly, resting her hand on Alyssa’s shoulder.

“How? How could it be okay? We dragged them into whatever bullshit-”

“We are fools and thieves, Alyssa, but we’ve always done our best to keep them out of it. Someone  _ made _ them a part of it.” Emma puts her phone back in her pocket. “So why don’t we go find out who?”

Alyssa meets her gaze and slowly nods. “Okay. But only because I trust you.”

Emma laughs. “You trust me, huh?”

“I’ve always trusted you. Maybe there will be a trap waiting somewhere for me when I follow you, but you’d never leave me behind when it mattered. Perhaps it’s not a conventional definition of trust, but for us? I think it counts.”

Emma pulls her in and kisses her softly. “I trust you, too, darling.” She lets her go and grins. “Now. Shall we?”

Alyssa smiles. “We shall.”

* * *

When they enter the door behind the waterfall, Alyssa stops so quickly that Emma almost walks into her.

“Sorry,” she mutters, edging to the side to let Emma in.

“What’s-” Emma stops next to her and swallows hard. “...wrong…”

The walls of the room they’re standing in are covered in pictures of…  _ them. _

The two of them at an upscale party in 1980, Emma in a jungle in 1932, Alyssa in the Sahara in 1948, a painting of them from 1821… All around them, flashes of their lives, not  _ everything, _ but more than enough that it sends shivers down Alyssa’s spine.

“What the hell is this?” Emma asks.

“Veronica. Shelby,” Alyssa says as her gaze drops to a table in the middle of the room, around which Mrs. Greene, Shelby, Kaylee, and Greg are sitting in chairs, bound and gagged. She starts forward, but before she gets close to them, the door slams shut behind her, and a woman steps between her and the table.

“I don’t think so. We’re not finished here yet, Miss Greene.” The woman cocks her head to the side. “Or would you rather I call you ‘filthy thieving scum’?”

“That’s not possible,” Emma whispers.

The woman snorts. “You’re immortal, idiot, anything is possible.”

Alyssa glances at Emma. “I don’t understand.”

“The crown that made us immortal. This woman… she’s the merchant captain we stole it from.”

Alyssa’s eyes widen. “Emma, that was three hundred years ago.”

“Yes, yes,” the captain says dismissively, “and you fools heard the legend wrong. It was  _ activated _ when you touched it, and then you left half of it on my ship. It seems that it could make anyone immortal who touched it within one day.”

“Oh, God. How many people are like us?”

“Now? It’s just the three of us.” The captain pulls a revolver out of her pocket and loads gold bullets into it. “I’ve gotten rid of my former crew during my tests of ways to kill you.”

Emma grabs Alyssa’s arm and pulls her back, getting in front of her.

Alyssa grips the sleeve of her shirt. “Emma, don’t,” she hisses.

The captain glances up at her and laughs. “Oh. You still love her even after all these years, don’t you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You do.” The captain lifts the revolver and points it at Emma. “So share with the class, pirate. I saw how you reacted when you thought I killed her all those years ago.”

“I… I don’t know if I would even know anymore,” Emma says slowly. “After all this time, she’s just… Alyssa. I’d never be able to feel for anyone else the way I feel about her. But ‘love’ just feels… not good enough.”

Alyssa tightens her grip on Emma’s shirt, her vision blurring with tears.

“Good.”

“Why does it even  _ matter _ to you?” Emma demands, tightening her fist as the captain double-checks the bullets in the cylinder.

“I’ve  _ suffered. _ How do you not understand how painful immortality is? Is it because the two of you flaunt it? Running around, stealing everything you get your thieving hands on, turning it into some fun little game?” The captain laughs. “The hardest part about this was getting you here. I built a place practically  _ made _ of money, with security that  _ screams _ challenge, and you practically  _ refused _ to come! Until I traced your patterns back to what was probably the first painting you two ever stole, and I realized what I was missing: a lure too good to pass up. And what do you know? Here you are. After that, it was just a matter of taking the only four people you  _ might _ have  _ some _ empathy for to make sure that you actually showed up instead of just running.”

Alyssa shakes her head slowly. “We got that crown from  _ you. _ You expect us to believe that you weren’t going to ever touch it? You’re blaming us for immortality that you would’ve ended up with anyway.”

“Shut up,” the captain snarls, raising the gun again. “I will not be lectured by a pirate.”

“What’s the plan, then?” Emma asks. “You’re going to, what, shoot us both, shoot yourself, rid the world of immortals?”

“No. Killing you both does nothing to show you what I’ve lived with.” The captain aims the gun at Emma’s chest. “But killing  _ one of you, _ and making the other live the rest of their eternity alone?  _ That _ is vengeance.”

Alyssa’s scream of  _ “NO!” _ is muffled under the sound of a gunshot, Emma’s body jerking against her before falling to the floor, motionless.

* * *

**_ATLANTIC OCEAN, 1920_ **

“It’s beautiful out here,” Alyssa says quietly, laying in the small sailboat and looking up at the stars.

“It really is.”

Alyssa rolls her eyes. “Darling, if you’re looking at me when you say that, I’ll throw something at you.”

Emma settles next to her and laughs. “You can’t prove anything.”

They lie in the boat, rocking in the gentle waves, comfortably close.

“Em?”

“Hm?”

“I… This doesn’t really make any sense, but can I…”

Emma turns towards Alyssa. “Honey, what’s up?”

Alyssa faces her, nervous. “I don’t love you.”

Emma’s brow furrows. “I-”

“Wait, please, I shouldn’t have started with that.” Alyssa gets closer, gripping Emma’s shirt and lowering her voice as if, even in the privacy of the boat and the stillness of the night, she wants to keep this a secret that only they know. “I don’t love you, because the word ‘love’ isn’t strong enough for how I feel for you. I know we bicker, we fight, we have sword fights with each other-”

Emma snickers. “That was a fun night all around.”

Alyssa smacks her gently. “Focus.”

“Sorry.”

“My point is, we drive each other crazy, but you’re still the world to me, Emma.”

Emma cups Alyssa’s face in her hand and kisses her slowly. “I don’t love you, either, Alyssa.”

Alyssa grins and rests her forehead against Emma’s.

“Should we head back to land and steal something, darling?”

“Gladly.”

* * *

**_EDGEWATER, 2020_ **

“Oh that felt better than I ever thought it would,” the captain says, her voice giddy as she looks at the revolver. “It almost makes me want to kill you both instead of the original plan.”

Alyssa stares down at Emma, her mind blank. “I don’t understand,” she rasps. “I don’t understand how you could hate us this much.”

“Like I told your lover a few hundred years ago. I  _ hate _ pirates. Especially when they ruin my life.”

Alyssa looks up at her. “We’re thieves. I get that. But this is… I-I just don’t… If you wanted to be better than us, you could’ve done so much more with immortality, and all you did was spend your time figuring out how to become a murderer.”

The captain frowns. “I  _ am _ better than you.”

“Are you? Whether or not you count Emma, you killed everyone in your crew. We’ve never killed anyone.”

“Shut up.” The captain advances on her, gun raised. “Shut your goddamn mouth before I put you in a shallow grave like the other pirate.”

“Why?” Alyssa laughs. “What could you even do to me? You already said you won’t kill me.”

An idea lights in the captain’s eyes. “Maybe not  _ you.” _

She turns and points the gun in Mrs. Greene’s direction.

_ “Wait!” _

Before Alyssa can lunge forward, the captain is knocked aside by Emma suddenly surging up from the floor, wrestling the captain for the gun.

“Emma?” Alyssa whispers. She flinches as she hears a gunshot.  _ “Emma!” _

The captain falls to the ground, blood pouring from a wound in her chest, and Emma stumbles backwards, uninjured.

“I-I…” Alyssa stares at her. “I don’t understand.”

“Neither do I,” Emma says, panting as she looks down at the captain. “It fucking hurt, and I know I blacked out for a second, but I definitely didn’t die.”

“But then how is she…”

Emma nudges the captain with her foot, then looks between the gun and the captain’s wound. “The heart,” she murmurs.

“What?”

“She didn’t shoot me in the heart, but the bullet that fired when I tried to get the gun from her did hit her in the heart.” Emma looks up at Alyssa. “She missed killing me by an inch.”

Alyssa swallows, then tackles Emma in a hug. “Don’t ever do that to me again.”

“Hey,” Emma laughs, hugging her back. “I’m okay.”

“You’d better be,” Alyssa says, her voice cracking. She kisses Emma on the cheek. “Come on. Let’s get the others untied and get out of here.”

“Not without the painting though, right?”

Alyssa scoffs. “Oh, I’m definitely not leaving without that damn painting.”

* * *

Emma smiles as, for possibly the four hundredth time, Alyssa asks, “Where are we going?”

“You really have no patience, do you, darling?”

“I have tons of patience, but I can’t spare any of it for you.”

Emma shakes her head. “Well, just wait one more minute, would you? This elevator can only go so fast.”

Alyssa sighs. “A trip to Antarctica and a dozen obstacles that only an immortal can get through, and now the worst part of all: a slow elevator ride.”

“Dramatic.”

“You know it.”

The elevator stops and the doors slide open, and Emma steps into a dark room. “Come on, darling. I have something to talk to you about.”

Alyssa follows her into the room, which lights up as they enter. “Oh, wow. Emma…”

“This is my vault,” Emma says, gesturing around at the objects on display. “Only the most important items I have in my possession make it down here, because I’m the only one who can get in here. Besides you, of course, but I think even you didn’t know this was here.”

“I actually didn’t. I’m impressed, darling.” Alyssa makes a soft gasping noise. “The painting.  _ Dog on Sunset Paws.” _

“It’s important to me. Of course I’d put it here.”

Alyssa smiles at her and continues walking around, Emma watching her as she takes in the items she won that meant the most to their journey together.

She also watches as Alyssa freezes, stopping in front of a heavy metal door built into the wall.

“What’s in there?” Alyssa asks hesitantly.

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Show you.” Emma goes over to the door and unlocks it, then takes out the small box inside. She sets it on a small table in the middle of the room, and punches in the code to unlock it as well.

“That’s… a lot of security, Em,” Alyssa says, nerves heavy in her voice.

“I don’t want anyone but me to be able to get into it,” Emma murmurs.

She opens the box, and Alyssa chokes when she sees two revolvers and two gold bullets inside.

“I-I thought you destroyed that. I destroyed the half of the crown I still had as soon as we left the casino.”

“I destroyed most of them,” Emma says softly. “I kept two.”

Alyssa meets her gaze slowly. “Why?”

Emma closes the box and sets her hands on Alyssa’s shoulders. “I love my life. I love my time with you. I have no interest in letting it go. But eternity is a very long time, Alyssa, and there may come a day when we’ve had our share of it. And if that happens, if we come to that decision,  _ together, _ I want us to be able to make that choice.”

“Emma-”

“I’m not talking about now. I’m not even talking about a hundred years from now.” Emma presses a gentle kiss to Alyssa’s forehead. “All I’m saying, honey, is that we deserve an end to our story if eternity becomes too long a life to live.”

Alyssa is quiet for a long moment, then she leans in and kisses Emma softly. “You’re not allowed to go anywhere without me, Nolan.”

Emma grins and kisses her back. “I would never dream of it, Greene.”

Alyssa hugs her. “How about you pack that up, and we go steal something?”

Emma gives a sharp laugh. “Darling, I thought you’d never ask.”


End file.
